Long-anticipated wind project off Virginia Beach moves forward

WIND: Dominion Energy Virginia announced Monday it will partner with a Danish company to build two wind turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

CLIMATE:Virginia could join a regional carbon trading effort such as RGGI, as Gov. Terry McAuliffe pushes the state to aggressively act to curb greenhouse gas emissions. (Southeast Energy News)

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UTILITIES:
• North Carolina officials want more time to review Duke Energy Progress’ 14.9 percent rate hike proposal, which could delay the effective date for any rate. (Charlotte Business Journal)
• Despite significant cost overruns at two major projects in Georgia and Mississippi, Southern Company should be able to withstand the problems, says Moody’s Investors Service. (WABE)

SOLAR:
• Florida Power & Light installed on Monday the first of 1 million solar panels planned for its statewide solar expansion. (TC Palm)
• Planet Fitness has installed solar panels at its St. Petersburg, Florida, location to provide 99.5 percent of the facility’s energy. (Solar Industry)• A 52-megawatt solar installation in Mississippi — the largest in the state — is now generating electricity. (Associated Press)

OIL & GAS:
• Louisiana officials are approaching a deadline for a U.S. Supreme Court review of a lawsuit seeking to make oil and gas companies pay for damage to coastal wetlands. (Associated Press)
• The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is proposing to reduce the royalty rate for Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases sold in August. (NGI)

COMMENTARY:
• West Virginia will benefit from Mountaineer Gas Co.’s pipeline extension project and others because they bring more Appalachian gas to market and boost jobs and revenue in the region. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• President Trump’s assertion that oil and gas exploration off the Atlantic Coast would benefit military readiness is “dead wrong.”(Virginian-Pilot)
• Oil and gas exploration and production in Louisiana could boost jobs as well as state finances. (The Times)